The Smiths A-Z: "Golden Lights"

[Anonymous]

Wasn’t the problem that Johnny Marr and the band record a straight version of the song which Morrissey then had remixed such as that treatment on his vocal?

Yeah, similar situation to 'Ask'. John Porter produced the original mix, then Morrissey demanded Stephen Street remix it. "We recorded it with these beautiful mandolins and it sounded fantastic. It had a Mexican feel. The stuff on the tape is beautiful, but the remix sounds appalling to me' (Porter, The Severed Alliance)

 

[SuedeMoz]

Yeah, similar situation to 'Ask'. John Porter produced the original mix, then Morrissey demanded Stephen Street remix it. "We recorded it with these beautiful mandolins and it sounded fantastic. It had a Mexican feel. The stuff on the tape is beautiful, but the remix sounds appalling to me' (Porter, The Severed Alliance)

We'll probably never get to hear that original mix but we can wish I suppose.

 

[Lamplighter]

Great to hear general support for this song. I've always quite liked it. I'd not heard that there was a Porter version. Would genuinely like to hear without the vocal effects and different instrumentation.

 

[CrazyFaceGenes]

I don't mind the song but it sounds far too muddy for a Marr track, it feels sloppy.

 

[Dirk Blaggard]

I like this, for the reason BookishBoy, stated and for the words he quoted - lyrics are actually pretty good
I think M managed to key into that, almost haunting kitchen sink element, which he would again (to greater success) with East-West
I did always prefer the Twinkles version

MInd you I adore Work Is A Four Letter Word, so what do I know

 

[Flibberty]

Yeah, it's a shame that the original mix has yet to surface.

As for the released version, it isn't very good and should have remained strictly a b-side. I remember listening to Louder Than Bombs with someone who wasn't a diehard fan and when this song started, their reaction was, "What is THIS???" And they weren't saying it in a complimentary way.

It isn't a good fit with the rest of the group's output and you can understand why Johnny has been so disparaging of it.


Just to show other viewpoints and not because they should be considered in any way definitive...

In the poll on this board this song ranked 73rd from 73 of the group's songs.
In the poll on the Hoffman board this song ranked 71st from 73 of the group's songs.

 

[Johnny]

I have to be honest and I've said it since the year dot.
It's the only Smiths song I really dislike.

 

[everydayslikesunday]

Personally, I have never managed to hear it all the way through, after about 15 seconds it annoys me s0 much I have to skip it. When I put a Smiths album on I want to hear beautifully created music and intelligent witty lyrics not a second rate cover version. Hate it

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

Yeah, it's a shame that the original mix has yet to surface.

As for the released version, it isn't very good and should have remained strictly a b-side.

I first heard this on Louder, and it’s perfect between Ask and Oscillate Wildly.

As usual, the way one feels about a song depends on where and what they were at the time of hearing/listening to it, and how deep or hungry in their passion
for anything Smiths/Morrissey was at that time is what will dictate the importance of the song to them. Pre-internet can also play a big role in this.

I remember listening to Louder Than Bombs with someone who wasn't a diehard fan and when this song started, their reaction was, "What is THIS???" And they weren't saying it in a complimentary way.

It isn't a good fit with the rest of the group's output and you can understand why Johnny has been so disparaging of it.


Just to show other viewpoints and not because they should be considered in any way definitive...

In the poll on this board this song ranked 73rd from 73 of the group's songs.
In the poll on the Hoffman board this song ranked 71st from 73 of the group's songs.

 

[SuedeMoz]

As for the released version, it isn't very good and should have remained strictly a b-side. I remember listening to Louder Than Bombs with someone who wasn't a diehard fan and when this song started, their reaction was, "What is THIS???" And they weren't saying it in a complimentary way.

Agreed... I don't think "I Keep Mine Hidden" or "Work is a Four Letter Word" had been recorded at the time of LTB's release... I would have taken either in its place.

 

[Dirk Blaggard]

Great to hear general support for this song. I've always quite liked it. I'd not heard that there was a Porter version. Would genuinely like to hear without the vocal effects and different instrI

I have to be honest and I've said it since the year dot.
It's the only Smiths song I really dislike.

I think if people put a gun to my ( Julian) Temple
I would have to say Please. Please Let Me Get What I Want This TIme is the song I dislike,
The song itself is ok, it just became such an image definer for some people and the smiths. It kinda painted this navel-gazing , wimpy whiney. image type
I have to press forward every time it comes on ,

 

[Mayfly]

I didn’t get the point of The Smiths doing covers at the time. It sort of made the ASK ep less interesting to me, with a B-side that had already appeared on an album and than a cover.
Well yes, it is cute, but it didn’t have the same impact on me as an original Moz / Marr composition, with almost every single one hitting harder than this cover. Not saying that the cover was bad though, Kirsty was a welcome addition.
In retrospec, it just shows to what a degree we had been spoiler.

 

[Anonymous]

I didn’t get the point of The Smiths doing covers at the time. It sort of made the ASK ep less interesting to me, with a B-side that had already appeared on an album and than a cover.

I'm guessing this must have been a rare period when the band were slightly short of original material, with both this and 'Panic' featuring album cuts from 'The Queen is Dead' as B-sides?